Hat-size reducer



Ma 'so, 1967 A. BERLIN HAT-SIZE HEDUCER Filed Nov. 24, 1965 FIG. 3

llll II I FIG. 4

INVENTOR.

ABE BERLIN BY ATTORNEY.

United States Patent f 3,321,775 HAT-SIZE REDUCER Abe Berlin, 2843 W. Girard Ave, Philadelphia, Pa. 19130 Filed Nov. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 509,544 1 Claim. (Cl. 2--183) This invention relates to a unique construction of ac cessory for hats, and is especially concerned with a device for reducing the etfctive size of a hat.

As is Well known, it is often desirable to reduce the head size of a hat, and heretofore this has not been capable of accomplishment in a simple and efiicient manner by persons of only ordinary skill.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a unique device for reducing a hat size, which may be quickly and easily employed by persons without special skill or training to obtain any desired snugness of hat fit without damage to the hat.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hat-size reducer which is extremely simple in construction, capable of economic mass production for sale at a reasonable cost, and which is durable and reliable throughout a long useful life.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanyiny drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claim.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the interior of a hat incorporating a hat-size reducer in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of FIGURE 1, enlarged for clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1:

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a hat-size reducer of the present invention, showing the inner or underside thereof, and partly broken away for clarity; and

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken generally along the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURE 1 thereof, a hat is there generally designated 10, and may conventionally include a crown 11 surrounded about its lower edge by a brim 12. Of course, the hat may be of any style or construction, as desired.

interiorly of the crown 11, extending along the lower interior region thereof, is a hatband 13, which may be conventionally fabricated of suitable flexible material and secured to the crown, as along the lower edge thereof, or otherwise, as desired.

Illustrated interiorly of the hat It is a hat-size reducer 15 of the instant invention. The hat-size reducer is secured on the interior or inner side of the sweatband 13, extending longitudinally therealong to reduce the chordal distance of the sweatband between opposite ends of the reducer, and thereby reduce the effective size of the hat.

The hat reducer 15 is shown apart from the hat 14 in FIGURES 4 and 5, and there seen as including an elongate, longitudinally elastic element or strip 16, which may be of conventional elastic material. The elastic strip 16 has its opposite end portions folded longitudinally inward onto the inner side of the strip, and there secured, as by stitching 17, to define a pair of end loops 18. The loops 3,321,775 Patented May 30, 1967 18 each extend transversely across the strip 16 at opposite ends thereof.

An anchoring device 20 is held by each end loop 18, and may include a bar 21, say of metal or other suitable material, extending through and beyond the respective loop 18, being closely received therein. Thus, each bar 21 extends transversely of the strip 16, having its opposite ends extending beyond opposite sides of the encompassing loop 18.

Advantageously formed integrally with each bar 21 are a pair of prongs or tines 22. The tines 22 of each anchoring device 20 may extend integrally from the bar 21, as from the outer side edge 23 of the bar, adjacent to opposite ends thereof. Thus, the tines 22 are each located just laterally outward beyond opposite sides of the strip 16 and serve to maintain the bar in position within its receiving loop 18. Extending from the outer side edge 23 of the respective bar 21, each tine 22 is formed with a generally U-shaped bend 24, extending onto the inner side of the strip 16 (the upper side as seen in FIGURE 5). From the bend 24, each tine 22 extends longitudinally inward of the strip 16, generally parallel to the plane of the strip. Thus, the tines 22 of each anchoring device 20 extend in parallelism with each other, while the tines of respective anchoring devices extend generally toward and terminate short of each other.

In combination with a hat 10, the hat-reducer device 15 is arranged extending longitudinally along and on the inner side of a hat sweatband 13, with the inner side of the reducer device (the upper side as seen in FIGURE 5) facing toward the hatbandv The tines 22 of one anchoring device 20 may be impaled through the sweatband 13. The other end of the strip 16 is then pulled to distend or elongate the strip, and the remaining anchoring device 20 is anchored to the sweatband by impaling of its tines 22 through the adjacent sweatband portion, as seen in FIGURE 2. In this way, opposite ends of the strip 16 are anchored to the sweatband 13 at circumferentially spaced locations therealong, and the strip 16 is under elastic distention or elongation, to effect reduction in the chordal distance between the spaced points of anchoring to the sweatband. This, of course, reduces the effective hat size; and additional hat-size reducers 15 may be attached in like manner at circumferentially spaced locations about the sweatband 13 to efiect cumulative reduction in bat size.

If desired, the hat-size reducer 15 may be removed from the sweatband 13 by mere reversal of the abovedescribed procedure, and repeatedly replaced and removed, as desired. Further, by extension of the tines 22 generally parallel to the plane of its associated bar 21, it will be understood that the bar is maintained substantially parallel to the adjacent portion of the sweatband, so as to avoid discomfort to the wearer.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present inven tion provides a hat-size reducer which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, installation, removal and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a hat including a crown and a flexible sweatband extending about and secured to the interior of said crown, of a hat-size reducer comprising an elongate elastic element extending interiorly along said sweatband, and a pair of anchoring means respectively secured at opposite ends of said element, said anchoring means being fixed to said sweatband at circumferentially spaced locations therealong with said element resiliently distended between said anchoring means, to effectively reduce the head size of said hat, said anchoring means each comprising a flat bar extending transversely of and generally coplanar with said strip at a respective end thereof, an end loop on said strip circumposed about the respective bar, each fiat bar having opposite ends extending beyond opposite ends of a respective end loop and tines extending from each bar for piercing engagement through said sweatband, said tines each including a U- shaped portion at the outer side edge of each bar and a pointed elongate portion extending from said U- haped portion longitudinally inward of said strip appreciably beyond the associated bar, for retaining said bar generally parallel to the adjacent portion of said hatband.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 88,984 4/1869 Robbins 2487 X 1,225,275 5/1917 Rosenzweig 2-197 X 1,638,921 8/1927 Cummings 24-87 1,857,574 5/1932 Sykora 2l97 10 2,308,336 1/1943 Mason 24 s7 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

K. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

